Snowed in

It has been snowing solidly since yesterday evening. The chasse-neige came along our road at about 07.30 this morning, but the snow is falling so thick and fast that he needs to come by again if we are to get the car out! We have probably 20cms on the ground so far.The dog is however thoroughly enjoying the conditions...and is becoming quite an expert snowball catcher!It really is quite beautiful here when it snows

Mud

Snow was forecast to move in this afternoon with similar conditions through to the weekend. Today would be my last chance to get out for a run for a few days, so I headed down to meet up with Pat for a circular route from her house. It was wet underfoot, very wet... in fact it was serious mudsville in many places which made the going 'interesting'.However, we were able to test ourselves on some good, drier uphill sections on which we were able to keep running which is a good indication of our improved fitness levels. Considering the conditions underfoot, I was please to complete the 15.3kms with 400m of ascent in 2 hrs. Just as I was leaving their house, the conditions worsened and I was treated to horizontal sleet as I headed back to Foix. I was only just able to make it back over the Col de Port in time before the settling snow made it impassable. It was a serious blizzard up there and I would not have liked to have been stranded! We are in for a snowy, windy few days, but the forecast is for clearer weather at the weekend.

Time for a change

This blog is too full of lovely scenic photos and other jolly happenings in the Pissou world. It really cannot continue in that vein. I mean, I am really not giving people a very balanced picture of life here, am I. So here, this is what I have been up to today
We knew we had a little bit of a damp problem on the back wall of the bedroom, but until we took the bookcases out, we didn't appreciate the extent of it.Nice! After spraying with a bleach solution, I successfully scraped off most of the mould along with the top layer of plaster. We are now trying to dry out the room with the aid of a dehumidifier and will sand down the wall, size it and then paint with bathroom paint when it has been properly prepared. Not the most pleasant of jobs, it has to be said, but it has to be done.

In the nick of time

Looking at the forecast for the coming week, it was clear that our wood supplies would be severely challenged if we did not make an effort today to fill up the woodshed. Fortunately, I found some excellent quality dead trees just off our chemin which would provide ready-seasoned, dense, good-sized logs for the wood burner. Within 3 hours we had felled and sectioned them, loaded up the car and brought them back to the house, chainsawed them into useable chunks and stashed them in the woodshed. The rain started just as the last logs were being put away. Temperatures have now dropped and the rain has turned to snow and is settling fast. More is forecast for tomorrow, so I am relieved that we were able to get the wood in in time.

Skiing

Clear blue skies and warm sun today - wonderful! We spent the afternoon skiing at Guzet where the conditions were perfect.

It just isn't possible any more :-(

I wish it was. But I am not 25 any more.... or even 35 for that matter. No, my body is not allowing me to forget that I crossed the '40' threshold more than just a couple of years ago. No longer can I get away with having a good run or a bike ride or a ski session without any after-effects. After my last run with Andy and Kev I felt that everything just seized up and my short ride on the roadie yesterday left me tired and stiff. It took a good 30 minutes of concerted stretching yesterday evening for my poor body to loosen up a bit. This morning, I had another 30 minute stretching session before heading over to Pat and Kev's for a run. I also filled my Camelbak with rocket fuel (SIS 'Go' mix!) and guess what, my body responded to the tender loving care that I was lavishing on it. 14.5kms/300m of ascent/1 hr 48 mins of pretty much constant running on footpaths and tracks around Laroque d'Olmes and I could have carried on! I am not falling to bits after all, it IS possible to do all these sports/activities that I want to do. If paying heed to the needs of my ageing muscles and bones is a pre-requisite for me to succeed, then what else is a girl to do! :-)

Before the weather turns ....

The weather at the moment is dry, fine and positively springlike but with more poor weather moving in imminently, I felt compelled to give the roadie an airing today. It was only to be a short run as it has been a few weeks since I last sat in the saddle. So from Massat, down the D618 to the roundabout, along to Oust and then Ercé before the ride up to Cominac, the Col de Saraillé and then the descent back down to Massat. As I gained Cominac, the approaching weather front was evident!

It was not a fast run by any means, but a good 45kms and 2 hours out in relatively dry conditions. Must do more!